Chris Rock's 'GI Jane 2' joke that made Will Smith slap him WAS NOT part of rehearsals
Chris Rock's joke that resulted in the now-infamous Will Smith slap was not included in rehearsals. The annual Academy Awards broadcast, as expected, provided plenty of moments for discussion, but not every memorable moment was a good one. As one may already know, Will Smith stormed the stage and slapped presenter Rock after he made an inappropriate remark about Jada Pinkett Smith's shaved head. Rock joked about her starring in the G.I. Jane sequel, forgetting the fact that she shaved her head due to a medical problem. Smith rushed onto the stage and smacked Rock in retaliation, much to the surprise of those in attendance and those watching at home.
However, numerous people acquainted with the behind-the-scenes details of the Oscars ceremony told Rolling Stone that, Rock's G.I. Jane joke was not included in rehearsals in the days leading up to the show, confirming that this was not a scripted act. The Academy declared earlier that it will investigate Smith's actions and may be penalized for it. However, he is unlikely to lose his 'Academy Award' for his role as Serena and Venus Williams' father in the film 'King Richard,' for which he was nominated. The fact that Rock's joke was not part of the rehearsal suggests that when he came out to deliver, he was merely riffing with the audience. He most likely noticed Jada in the front row and chose to go with whatever came to him immediately, which turned out to be a bad choice. Smith's answer, on the other hand, was also shocking and should never have happened.
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Smith's subsequent win for best actor complicated matters even further. Since then, reactions from the entertainment industry have been divided; some have justified Smith's behavior, while others have demanded that he be stripped of his Oscar. Meanwhile, Chris and Will have a long history together, which hasn't always been nice, particularly when it comes to Jada. According to People, the conflict began in 2016 when Rock hosted the Oscars. It was the same year as the 'Oscars So White' demonstrations, which Jada was taking part in by refusing to attend the ceremony. During Rock’s monologue, he teased, "Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna‘s panties. I wasn’t invited.”
Statement from @TheAcademy
— TVMoJoe (@TVMoJoe) March 28, 2022
The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night's show. We have officially started a formal review around the incident and will explore further action and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, Standards of Conduct and California law
Will, later on, posted an apology to Rock in an Instagram post for hitting him on stage over a joke about the Oscar winner's wife. He wrote, “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness. I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees, and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us. I am a work in progress. Sincerely, Will."
Watch Chris Rock's monologue from 2016 Oscars where he joked about Jada.